Action Taken by Governor Phil Scott on Legislation - June 17, 2026

Montpelier, Vt. - Governor Phil Scott announced action on the following bills, passed by the General Assembly.

On June 17, Governor Scott signed bills of the following titles:

• H.686 , An act relating to expanding identification of certain lobbying advertisements
• H.757 , An act relating to manufactured homes and limited equity cooperatives
• H.816 , An act relating to regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services
• H.907 , An act relating to legislative review of reporting requirements
• H.915 , An act relating to establishing an extended producer responsibility program for beverage containers
• H.928 , An act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes
• H.931 , An act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law
• H.932 , An act relating to the regulation of forestry under Act 250
• H.935 , An act relating to emergency management
• H.952 , An act relating to capital construction and State bonding budget adjustment

On June 17, Governor Scott returned without his signature and vetoed H.710, An act relating to defining electricity generating facilities and sent the following letter to the General Assembly.

Dear Ms. Wrask:

Pursuant to Chapter II, Section 11 of the Vermont Constitution, I'm returning unsigned and without my approval, in the time permitted by the Constitution H.710, An act relating to defining electricity generating facilities.

Working towards a cleaner and more resilient energy future is important to Vermont's economy, security, and environmental goals. However, we must do so in a manner that respects Vermont communities and the people most directly affected by industrial energy projects.

This is why for the last 10 years, my Administration has been clear, our local communities should be given great weight in both legislation and with the PUC when the expansion of industrial wind on Vermont's ridgelines could be the outcome.

This bill is framed as a change needed to simplify the definition of a "plant," but it goes too far. Its practical effect is to treat multiple renewable electricity generating facilities using the same technology and located on the same or contiguous parcels of land as a single facility, regardless of when those facilities are built. This means Vermont law would encourage the expansion of existing industrial wind developments on our ridgelines in areas like Lowell, Sheffield, Searsburg, Readsboro, Milton and Georgia with fewer opportunities for scrutiny by residents. This will also affect communities like Pownal, Manchester, and Dorset which have already seen the development of massive solar fields.

For these reasons, I'm unable to support this bill.

Sincerely,

/s/

Philip B. Scott

Governor

On June 17, Governor Scott returned without his signature and vetoed H.817, An act relating to regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services and sent the following letter to the General Assembly :

Dear Ms. Wrask:

Pursuant to Chapter II, Section 11 of the Vermont Constitution, I'm returning unsigned and without my approval, in the time permitted by the Constitution, H.817, An act relating to mental health literacy and peer-to-peer supports in schools.

This bill requires the Department of Mental Health, together with the Agency of Education, to make a proposal in its fiscal year 2028 budget for funding mental health literacy and peer-to-peer programming. As the Legislature knows, the Legislature cannot dictate to the Governor what will be funded in the Governor's proposed budget. This is a clear separation of powers violation.

Fortunately, the Department of Mental Health and the Agency of Education, which support the development of mental health literacy and peer-to-peer programming in schools, can make policy and budget recommendations to the Governor in connection with the 2028 budget development process without legislative direction.

Further I'm directing the Department of Mental Health, working together with the Agency of Education, to prepare an inventory of existing mental health programming and services in schools, with recommendations for integrating mental health literacy and peer-to-peer programming into existing programming and services. This will be provided to the Legislature as requested in Section 3 of H.817.

Sincerely,

/s/

Philip B. Scott

Governor

To view a complete list of action on bills passed during the 2026 legislative session, click here.

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